With the Torkham and Chaman border-crossing points with Afghanistan shut, voluntary repatriation of registered Afghan refugees in Pakistan has been suspended.

This is due to precautionary measures taken by the government to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

According to a press release, the UNHCR Voluntary Repatriation Centres at Azakhel, Nowshera in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Baleli, Quetta in Balochistan are therefore closed until further notice. The Encashment Centres in Afghanistan have also been closed.